Cell surface proteomics analysis indicates a neural lineage bias of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are one of the most intensively studied stem cell types with application aims. However, the molecular characterisation and the relationship between the molecular characterisation and functional properties of MSCs are largely unknown. In this study, we purified the surface proteins from rat bone marrow MSCs (rBMMSCs) and characterised their surface proteome by LC-MS/MS. Moreover, we comparatively analysed the data from this study with the surface proteomics data of mouse and human embryonic stem (ES) cells and human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs). The data showed that, in contrast to ES cells and human mesenchymal stromal cells, rBMMSCs possessed a surface proteomics pattern biased to neural and neural-endocrine lineages, indicating a neural/neural crest bias, and suggested a neural differentiation tendency of these cells. The different surface proteomics pattern between rBMMSCs and hMSCs also suggested that MSCs of different origin might possess a different lineage bias.